Illest opens in Our Kaka‘ako

Illest — a retailer with deep roots in music, break dancing and graffiti — opens Sunday at the Six Eighty Building on Ala Moana Boulevard in Our Kaka’ako. The arrival is part of the neighborhood’s overall transformation into a hip urban art and culture hub.

Illest, founded in 1999 in San Francisco, is owned by Fatlace, which initially started as a blog centered on hip-hop, music, break dancing and graffiti. Out of Fatlace grew Illest. This is not only the retailer’s first store in Hawai‘i, but its first store outside California. The Kaka‘ako store will carry both the Illest and Fatlace brands, as well as clothing and accessory lines by Stussy, G-Shock, Benny Gold, Nike, Herschel and Medicom.

“This is a important move for us and a great way to celebrate our 15th anniversary,” Mark Arcenal, Creative Director of Fatlace and Illest, said in a press release. “We look forward to seeing new faces and getting to know our new neighbors Highway Inn, Lanikai Juice and Starbucks.”

To launch the Hawaii store, the Illest team has been working closely with local woodworkers, publishers and designers. For its grand opening, Illest will host a series of customer events, including a G-Shock release party on Saturday. On Monday, the first 100 customers through the door will receive a free prize pack.